Wake Forest Athletics
Tuesday Football Press Conference Quotes
10/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 7, 2008
Press Conference Video: Coach Jim Grobe
Head coach Jim Grobe
On how you coach the players when there is anger or resentment from a previous game...
"You know we'd like to be excited about playing the game, I think when you go through a twelve game schedule it's hard to be as high every week as you'd like to be. But there's a danger to being too high, you can be so excited that you don't play well and you make too many mistakes. We'd like for our guys to be enthusiastic, but we'd like it to be a four quarter thing, not just a start of the game thing."
On where you would like to see improvements, aside from not turning the ball over...
"I think we've talked about it forever now, but I think that we would like to be able to run the football better. I don't know that there is any one area that needs the most improvement. Certainly we've put too much pressure on Riley Skinner and we need to balance out our offense a little bit."
On the receivers in the Navy game...
"Well I think the problem was we worked a vertical game too much. We just spent too much time trying to work the ball down the middle of the field. I think Riley would tell you he pressed a little bit too much to make big plays rather than taking what they give us. We just need to be patient, we got behind early and I think we have the tendency to push the panic button. We just have to learn from that and in the future take what's there."
On the Clemson game, putting too much on it...
"We're a third of the way through the season, and we've got eight games left, so we better put a lot into every game. So we'll play our best Thursday night and also understand that there's a lot of football left to be played."
On Magnitude of winning the Clemson game...
"I think you have to be real careful about saying if, if we do this, if we do that. The bottom line is we've got a really good football team coming to town and we need to play great to have a chance to win. We've got to stay focused on that and know there's a lot of season left."
On the focus of the team...
"Well I want our guys to be pumped up, but I want it to last four quarters. We need to play at a high level with a lot of intensity for four quarters just to have a chance to win against this great football team Clemson."
Senior linebacker Stanley Arnoux
On the Clemson game...
"Clemson is a very good team. They have a balanced attack on offense so you know it's going to be a challenge. It's an ACC game on a Thursday night with primetime TV so it's going to be pretty exciting."
On Clemson's balanced attack...
"You really don't know who is going to get the ball because they have so many options. No. 1 and No. 28 in the backfield are both pretty good runners. They both are patient and fast. Sometimes you get confused which one is thunder and which one is lightning because they both can hit you with the big play at anytime."
On whether Clemson will be the most well-balanced offense Wake has faced this season...
"They would have to be one of them. They have a quarterback that is legit and some good receivers and two good running backs. So I would say they will be one of the most balanced teams we will face."
On how tough the Navy loss has been to get over...
"It was a tough. But Navy was a good physical football team and that happens sometimes. You have to try and get over that and focus on Clemson."
On whether the Navy loss made the team more focused...
It does make us a little more focused but at the same time we didn't take Navy lightly. They just came out there and beat us."
On if last year's loss at Clemson has stuck in their mind...
"It definitely does but this is a new year. We just have focus on getting prepared for this year's game."
On the revenge factor from last season's loss...
"We can use it in practice but when we get out there Thursday night we can't be thinking about that last year or two years ago. You have to be focused on what's going on right now."
On being a linebacker and how he picks up who has the ball on each play...
You really just have to look at everything, the linemen, the backs and even the quarterback. It can be pretty difficult sometimes but we've been doing it so long now that it kind of comes easier to me."
On which offense is tougher to prepare for; Navy or Clemson...
"It's all different and each team brings something different to the table. So each week we have to prepare for what we are going to face but Navy was pretty difficult to defend."
Sophomore offensive lineman Russell Nenon
On whether the week and a half off between games hurt or help the team...
"There's definitely some perks but there is also some minuses about it because the loss is still lingering on our minds. It's frustrating because we are all itching to get back out on the field and show the world what we have worked on the last week and a half. It has also allowed us to get a lot of kinks out. The coaches have obviously drilled the offensive line on the whole running the ball issue but we had a tough week of practice and it's been beneficial."
On whether everyone is healthy coming off the bye week despite the rough practices...
"It seems like everyone is healthy except for a couple of nicks and bruises. The intensity of practice was just like the first day of practice during camp. It's full speed with everyone running around and making big hits. Last night Marshall (Williams) went up for a ball and got jacked. It's great being out there, every kid loves it because we have a great coaching staff.
On what role emotions can play in a game of this magnitude...
"It's different for an offensive lineman. I could see being a linebacker where you can run around and scream and yell but any little move I make, I get a penalty. Emotionally, I'm thinking about the 44-10 loss last year and the loss to Navy and just what I can do to get better. The team is too. We're trying to find what we can do to turn it around like we did last year to win nine of 11. So I think I will try to shelve my emotions and try to focus on the task at hand."
On the magnitude of the Clemson game...
Every non-conference and conference game is huge for us. So we're going to take it as an important game just like any other one we'll play. I mean its Clemson on a Thursday night on TV. I dreamt about these games as little kid."
On whether revenge will play a role this week...
Every team wants to win and it's kind of embarrassing to lose like we did the last two years. We're going to just try to execute coach's game plan the best we can and hopefully come out with a win."
On how the running game will be different this game compared to last few...
"I'm hoping the time in the chutes pay off. We expect to do better because I think it's time we show that we can run the ball. We're tied of the criticism and it's time to start a new."
On how it would be for him to beat Clemson for the first time...
"It would be fantastic. Obviously watching the game two years ago as a redshirt was frustrating. Even as a scout team guy, you still feel part of the team and you help the team prepare. I went against Eric Berry and John Abbate every day in practice. It was frustrating to watch how we didn't finish that game and last year it was tough because I only played on the punt team and a little on offense at the end. It was frustrating to watch a team, who had played so well in the weeks leading up, have everything go wrong. So to beat Clemson Thursday night under the lights would be so memorable."
Senior linebacker Chantz McClinic
On playing with emotion against Clemson, following the loss to Navy...
"I think it's pretty easy for anyone to have it really. [Clemson's] beat us the last two years - one was a heartbreaker and the other one was just a total destruction - so I think it's really easy for all of us to get motivated for this game. They're going to be motivated at the same level we are so I think that it should be a good one."
On if it's easier for a defensive member to play fueled with emotion than an offensive player...
"I really couldn't say because I'm not an offensive guy but I think both sides have the ability to play with that emotion, but you can't try to do too much. You can try to motivate yourself and your teammates but you don't want to overdo it."
On what the defense worked on over the bye week...
"We worked mainly on how to execute the defense that's called. We have a good gameplan; the coaches gave us a great gameplan. We just need to execute, and if we execute on defense, then we should be fine."
On Clemson...
"There's no doubt that they're a very athletic team and they really have talent through the roof. We just have to go in with the mindset that they're good, but at the same time so are we."
On playing nationally-televised on Thursday night...
"That's kind of a step-up from my first year here. I think all of our games were on Saturdays and weren't televised. To play on Thursday on national television is a big deal."
On if Clemson's offensive talent is the best Wake's seen thus far this season...
"I would say that it is one of the most talented offensive teams. They have the potential to make a big play, any play, and they have so many weapons. I would say that they are one of the most talented teams that we'll play this season."
On what's at stake...
"This is a very important game for us and for them. The loser of the game will have two straight losses so that can do some damage. I think that this is a very important game, and we have to win in order to think about that far down the road."
On if Clemson and Wake Forest are developing a strong rivalry...
"I think so. I think my freshman year we beat them late in the game. Then, I think the following year they came back and did the same to us. I don't think their fans like us very much and our fans don't like them very much either, so I would say so."
On the atmosphere at kickoff...
"With a Thursday night game, the student section will be rocking and there will be some orange in the stadium so I think it will be a good college atmosphere."
On what the team worked on during the bye week...
"We've been doing a lot of film study and studying their games. We watched last year's film to try to find some tendencies of what they like to do. In practice, we went for four days of pads to get ready. We've been focusing mainly on actually what they're going to do and breaking them done. Then, we went through what we expect. I don't think you can over-prepare for [Clemson] because they are so talented and they do so much. Their offense is so complex."
Senior wide receiver D.J. Boldin
On this game against Clemson...
"Coming off a loss against Navy and losing to these guys last year on national television, it's something to look forward to. We want to prove to the world that we're a great football team and I think here's our chance."
On emotion coming into the game...
"I mean honestly as a team I don't think we've really thought about last year. We really want to come back and prove to the world that we're a good football team after losing to Navy."
On if emotions play a factor...
"I don't think yet. There will be a lot of emotions on Thursday night under the lights and television but as of right now we're going to execute and do what we were taught to do."
On playing on Thursday night...
"That's what you dream for. On Thursday night, what else is on television besides Wake Forest and Clemson? You can't beat that at all. When signing with Wake Forest, those are the kinds of games you look forward to."
On if Navy game got them refocused...
"Yeah, I think coming into that game we took a lot of things for granted as a football team. Even during the game when we were losing, everyone was like, `We're going to win and we're going to finish.' I think everyone was waiting on the next man to make the play instead of executing their job and it backfired on us and we lost. It was a wake-up call for us also. Coach Grobe coached us hard this week. He always told us if we lose, it's going to be hard and he's a man of his word. We're really looking to come back Thursday night and show the world we're a great football team."
